The Flame That Burned Brightest
by Scarlet Ash
Summary: How did Calcifer become a fire demon? Through his eyes see what hate and love can do to a person, to make them become a falling star. R&R pretty please?
1. In Which The War Continues

**I don't own Howls Moving Castle. BUT I do own all my OC's and this Edo plushie!! glomps so yeah this is to help me just write a bit it was randomly thought up one day as I was watching the movie. I LOVE the movie it's amazing. The book is quite interesting though go check it out. So yeah here it begins! Calcifer's story**

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"Calcifer!" An apprehensive voice shot down from the balcony. You cursed under you breath, ducking into the nearest villa on the side of the street. The alarm sounded, pounding in your ears. Another air raid, this was the third one this week. The family of the house you happened to duck into was huddle in the corner making there way down to the basement. With a blur of fiery red hair you jumped down into the basement and fastened the latch on the wooden door. The cold air was still with anxiousness and silent. You could hear the mice running on the upper floor. The sound of the slow and steady rhythm of the dripping water in the far corner of the cramped room caught your ear as you sat on the cold concrete floor. For the first time since you had barged in this family's house they looked at you. They scrutinized you from your bold red hair, your defined muscles, your dirty off-white smock that you always told yourself you needed to clean, to your ragged, scratch brown pants. The daughter of the two elders locked onto your dim gold eyes. Her sea blue ones entranced with the patterns around your iris. The moment was broken by the man of the house, clearing his throat preparing to say something.

"Sophie dear," the man said in his deep luring tone addressing his daughter, "could you please light some more candles"

"Of course." The girl said. Her voice was high pitched and frightened. You glanced at her as she bustled around the room. There was no argument that this girl was very attractive. Her black hair barely grazed her waist accenting her small figure. You looked up at her mother. You looked upon face of a worn woman who did heavy work about the house. There was a striking resemblance between her and her daughter. Except for the eyes, her most prominent feature. The sea blue that was often covered by raven black hair and yet it still shone out. The same blue eyes of her father locked onto yours. His steely gaze piercing a hole through your forehead.

"Cal," he said in his intent tone, "why have you run away again? Can you not at least tell your mother where you are? Or where you're going? You probably have her worried sick."

You snorted, you knew your mother didn't worry about you all she wanted was your ability to perform the most complex spells, that's all she had ever wanted that's all she'd ever want. Your mother, Elyisa, owned a small apothecary and spell store in the small town you lived in. Magic had always been very strong in her line, but never as strong as the potential you possessed. She always pushed you as a child, making you work harder and harder. Never receiving the love a child seeks from their mothers, you didn't understand love anyway; it wasn't anything important to you. Your gold eyes attentive gaze at your feet must have caused some doubt in the man, for he had moved over to sit next to you.

"Listen Cal," he said putting an arm around your shoulder, squeezing it, "it'll all work out for the best, I know Elyisa has worked you hard, ever since you were a child you've been worked, but believe me its all for the best. She just wants you to have a bright future."

You looked fircely into his eyes, "even if it's not what I want? How is that fair Briar? What if I want to grow up and join the forces? Or work as a… a… I don't know! But hell with it! It's not what I want." Briar patted your shoulder and rose to stand with his wife and daughter who were crowded around a candle. The dancing light was the only thing in the room that you knew felt how you did.


	2. In Which An Outsider Is Discovered

**Yay! Chapter 2! Please R&R I'd love to hear constructive criticism, maybe I can black mail people and say only after I get 2 reviews will I post the next chapter. All flames will be used to help Calcifer run Howl's castle, hey at least they are being put to good use!**

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The hushed angry voices floated down the stairs as you climbed them. You already knew the argument, for it had taken place many times before in the old house. Leaning on the dark, wooden banister, hearing it creak under the pressure of your weight, the argument carried on.

"Elysia!" came from your father's recognizable voice, "just give up on magic! We've lived without it before! And now with this war going on, if we're found we'll be killed! Is that what you want Elysia? To kill us all because of your selfish passion?!"

"Donavan, it's not just a selfish passion! I help save peoples lives! I give my worth to the community; do you think they'd just turn me in? After all I've done for them?" Elysia replied the heavy lilt on her accent.

Now definetly wasn't the time to walk up to your room. Especially with this argument going, you already knew your mom would pull you into it, saying 'oh what about Cal? He loves magic! Are you going to take that away from him?' then you'd say you hated magic and stomp downstairs, your father bustling after you. So now you should just make your escape find the guys, come back when the argument was over. The stairs winced as you slowly meandered down them. Being ever so careful not to make any large noise so your parents would hear you. Slipping out the door with a soft click you rested your back against your house sighing. _I wonder_, you thought, if_ anything will ever revolve around me, so I can make my own choices and live my own life._ You already knew the answer to that question, the one you had asked yourself many times a day, for almost the entire span of your insignificant 14 winters of living. A scratch on the dirt outside your house caused a huge tsunami of dust and debris to start coming towards you.

"What the hel…" not being able to finish as you were tackled and pined to the ground. Suffocating from all the dirt entering your lungs. Coughing heavily you pushed your attackers off of you and stood up huffing and puffing with anger.

"What. The. Hell." Pronouncing your words precisely. You tuned on the young boy with dark brown hair, who was bent over with laughter.

"Oh Cal, we got you good this time!" the other boys roared with laughter at your dirt covered face and your now brownish red hair.

"Are you asking me to send another fire beam your way Joshua?!" you shot out as you dusted yourself off. The other boys coughed as the dirt found its way into their nostrils and lungs.

"Zamnes Cal," another boy with bright blond hair and clear blue eyes pronounced, "Is 'what the hell' still your favorite phrase?"

"Aw shut up Carter," you said pushing his smooth face away. You turned on the last of the three boys, glaring him down.

"C..C..Cal!" the youngest stuttered, "you know I had nothing to do with it! I told them you would be angry!" His grey eyes frightened as you reach reached out your hand.

"I know Mease." You said, rubbing his head and working dust out of his hair. "So how are you feeling anyway? Doesn't the dust make you cough? We don't want you having another attack while my parents are up stairs arguing"

Mease blushed a deep crimson his eyes fell to the ground.

"No Cal," he said in a strained voice, "I'm fine"

"Alright, that's good" you said pulling him into a noogie.

Ever since Mease was found, just a little bundle of hopelessness, everyone had come to discover his sever disease of asthma. No one even knew his real name; all they could go off of was the weasing sound he made, so they called him Mease. Carter's family was kind enough to take him in, and every one knew he had a good life there, for their family was by far the richest in the tiny town.

You sighed, leaning back on Carter's porch swing, sipping your root beer along with the other three boys.

"So guys," Joshua started, "have you seen that new girl in town?"

Ugghhhh, all the others winced back. Joshua was the one to know about all of this, he was the cutest of the bunch, and the middle child of 13 winters. Mease, the youngest, was only 11 winters, yet he got a lot of attention because of his young innocence.

"What?" Joshua pondered allowing a smirk to creep across his face, "I saw her in town today, her fathers a doctor, or so I've heard." He made a face, squinting into the sunset. "Everyone says she's from the country we're in war against. There's something really weird about her too, she was carrying around a black parasol instead of the white ones that are so in right now, and she was this like pasty white. She was _really_ cute though."

Carter was the first to break everyone's line of thought, "Yeah, I heard about her, haven't seen her though. People say that she lives in the old Jennson house."

Mease just remained quite slurping down his root beer leaning against you. His small, warm 10 winters form slumping against your arm.

"What do you think Cal?" Joshua asked, "Should we go seek her out? Or should we let her seek us out?"

That was the bad thing about Joshua, he always had something for a girl whether it be now or weeks later when a new challenge approached.

"Zamnes Joshua, what's your problem?" Carter alleged, "Why don't you just give it rest huh? It makes sense just to let fate find you."

You snorted at Carters remark, but made sure not loud enough for him to hear you. Fate was nothing in your life it just served to torment people. All fate had ever brought you was a mother who wanted nothing from you but to run her shop after she retired. The deep purples and crimsons of the sunset relaxed you. Feeling Mease slowly slipping into sleep on your shoulder you laid your head on his soft dirty blond hair.

Joshua let out a long drained yawn. "I hear her name is Azmarie, it's an odd name is it not? That is how people know she's from the other country, but if her fathers here to aid why send him away?"

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**fun stuff! remember R&R! yeah this chapter was a bit longer then the first.**


	3. In Which They Meet

**whoot, chaper three! In Which They Meet. Bleh i hate charaterizing, im not to hot at it. soo i would REALLY love for some reviews eh? its super easy i swear, just type 'i dont like it' or 'its coming along' or something short im not waiting for an essay on improvements and strong points. **

**flame me ill send Death out hehe...**

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Azmarie's point of view

You let out a delicate sigh; the sun was just setting over the horizon. Pushing your pure black parasol more over your soft figure to cover your violet eyes that winced at the world. Everything was so delicate about this place; the balance was equally close to tipping on either side. A minute wind blew your long silver hair to one side as you felt your father approach.

"Are you going out?" he asked laying a hand on your shoulder.

"Yes father, the moon is almost out, I think I'd like to take a," you stopped to think of the correct word, "walk out and see the sights of this place."

He gave your shoulder a tight squeeze, the wind ruffling your ankle length dress.

"I won't wait up for you then" her father said walking back into the house.

The moon was out, and tonight it was full.

Calcifer's point of view

"Hey Cally," you mother yelled up the stairs, "would you mind caring for the shop today? I'm going to take a few house calls."

You winced forcing yourself out of your comfortable bed, flipping out onto the cold wooden floor.

"Don't freaking call me that!" you shout back, "the last time you called me that I was six! Whatever I'll take care of it." You shuffled down to the shop while hopping to get into your white shirt and brown pants. Changing the sign to 'Open' and sliding quickly behind the front desk. Wheezing you slammed your forehead on the desk exhaling roughly. The tinkling of the bell on the door caused you to raise your head to barely glance at your mom's hair whipping past the corner. You repeatedly slammed your head on the desk, the bell rang once more.

"What did you forget now mom." You muffled into the desk.

"Excuse me sir," a delicate voice questioned, "Is the lady of the shop in? I must have a word with her."

You looked up to see a young girl who was a pasty white, a pure black parasol covering her eyes.

"Oh, umm," you stuttered not expecting this girl, "I'm sorry she just left for a house call, I'm running the shop today, what can I help you with?"

She scowled at the wall behind you, her lovely mouth curved into a piercing expression.

"No," she said clearly unhappy, "I can only speak to the lady of the shop, but thank you." She turned sharply on her heel to leave, leaving you stuttering. With a slight tilt of her head as she stopped right before the door she asked a question. "That boy who was sitting with you on the porch swing last afternoon, the one with the brown hair, what is his name?"

Sighing you shook your head, "His name is Joshua, why do you ask, if I may know?"

"It is not of your concern." The girl replied leaving the tinkling of the little bell ringing in your ears along with the suspension of unknowing.

O0O

Finnaly around midnight the slight tinkling bell sounded as your weary mother stepped through the door.

"Mom?" you tried to stop her, but she trudged on up the stairs. You just stayed speechless, until you heard the click of her bedroom door.

"Dad?" you questioned, "what happened? What's wrong with mom I've never seen her like that before."

For once you noticed the wrinkles on your fathers aging face as he frowned.

"Death, came tonight."

The silence hung in the air like lead, you were just frozen on your feet.

O0O

Azmarie's point of view

Wiping your mouth delicately you lay down your napkin. The once silky white cloth was stained red. The night was waning you could sense your energy thinning. You scowl as you look up at the moon slowly slipping behind the mountain of this dismal town.

"Oh dear if you keep that up you won't be able to sustain your day life" a feminine voice laughed, "Ha, day life? And everyone wants a night life."

"Why are you hear Death, I made sure I didn't take the life of my victim." You said slowly, scowling out the window.

A shadowy arm slipped out and caressed your chin, sending shivers down your back. The hooded woman appeared right before your face as if out of no where. Her face was not visible only a set of red demonic eyes, glaring into your pitch black ones.

"Oh no it wasn't your prey that caught my attention, oh no dear, it was that boy named Calcifer, oh yes his mother's strength is dwindling down, I just noticed her astounding amount of astral energy, so I set up a decoy, and I guess you could say I tested her."

You glared right back into the nothingness, your eyes slowly becoming their normal violet. Death always had something up her sleeve, or cloak rather, there was more to this then she was letting on.

The sun approached the light colors fanning over the horizon. Slowly seeping through your window.

"See you later darling." Death crackled as she disappeared into a thin wisp of black smoke.

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**continue? **

**a) no, i dont care what happens**

**b) yes, what is Death planning?**


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